Indonesia, Thailand open direct Jakarta-Bangkok, Bali-Phuket routes

Indonesia and Thailand launched new direct flights on the Jakarta-Bangkok and Denpasar-Phuket routes during the Second Leaders' Consultation at Istana Merdeka in Jakarta on Monday. President Prabowo Subianto said the added connectivity could strengthen people-to-people ties between the two countries and support the tourism sector. The cooperation is backed by a memorandum of understanding between Tourism Authority of Thailand and TransNusa. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the Bangkok-Jakarta and Phuket-Bali routes will be aimed in part at health tourism, MICE activities and cruise tourism. At the same meeting, the two countries also adopted the Roadmap on Strategic Partnership 2026-2030 and noted other private-sector cooperation through MoUs involving Bio Axel and Pro Consilium for an organic waste processing project.